Taste the Rainbow: Corvette Summer Classic Car Vette Shorts

A fun fact about Corvette history is that the very first 1953 models were all Polo White with red interiors, and the iconic split rear window of the 1963 Stingray was inspired by deep‑sea fishing, with the name coming from a small, fast warship, showing how its design and naming evolved from practical inspiration to iconic status. The name "Corvette" was chosen from a dictionary by PR exec Myron Scott, referring to a nimble warship, replacing earlier "Project Opel" ideas. The initial emblem with crossed American and checkered flags was changed because using the U.S. flag on a commercial product was illegal, leading to the iconic bowtie and fleur‑de‑lis design. The first 300 Corvettes in 1953 were built by hand, with some even lacking outside mirrors, and the early production line had issues with fiberglass bodies, sometimes requiring cars to be "rolled" off the line. While mid‑engine Corvettes are a recent C8 reality, the concept was experimented with as early as the 1960s, with prototypes created to challenge European sports cars. GM designer Bill Mitchell was inspired by stingrays while fishing for the C2 Stingray's design, complete with its iconic split rear window (1963 only) and side scoops.